No Reservations
by Andorian Ice Princess-AIP
Summary: AU SQL to HNIC Ed has to make good on his end of the bet. However, will the terms cause their fledging relationship to grow or end before it really gets started? Will they have reservations about their future or will the evening end as they both want?


**Title: No Reservations **

**Summary:** AU SQL to HNIC Ed has to make good on his end of the bet. However, will the terms cause their fledging relationship to grow or end before it really gets started? Will they have reservations about their future or will the evening end as they both want?

**Disclaimer: **Ah you know write? Ed's with me and well yeah that's about it…lol

**A/N:** SQL to Hockey Night in Canada lol…I guess I gotta put this note b/c there will be some other OS's that won't follow the same story line as these. And yes as with Friends this story will reference HNIC (b/c well that's where the bet came from) :) However as I already covered most of the angsty stuff of the eppy stuff, am gonna skip over that (or just reference) but this is a fluffy series so it's gonna focus on them growing closer together rather than rewriting the eppies themselves (I did that for the angsty In His Arms already) lol okay I'll stop talking and let you all get to reading. Enjoy everyone!  
**AND REMEMBER THIS IS AU (so like it says on my profile no Sophie and no Hank (they don't exist in this world) = no cheating...I would never do that to my beloved Eddie or my fave female SRU Donna).** So please don't be 2 and flame – its not my fault you can't read lol

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From the moment she had woken up Monday morning, Donna had wondered for a brief second if Ed would renege on part of the bet; the part with him wearing her jersey into the barn that day. She looks at her reflection in the mirror just before leaving, wondering if her smile from the night – from the weekend before – would dare fade as soon as she nears her new place of employment.

One thing was sure as soon as she entered, her stomach was doing nervous flip flops again; her mind wondering what Ed was now facing in the way of teasing from his team mates and if she'd bear the invisible brunt. Donna nears the locker room entrances and stops, listening to his warm laughter and Wordy's teasing voice and feels herself smile once more. But just as she enters her own locker space, she stops in her tracks at Wordy's next question; her curiosity getting the best of her.

"So are you really gonna cook for her? Seriously? Ed, you can't cook."

"I know but I made a bet right…so…I don't want to back out," Ed admits, bringing a smile to her face. "Maybe I can order something and say I made it? I mean I don't want to make her sick or anything."

"She'll see right through it."

"Maybe I can just buy…yeah maybe not…damn it," he heaves a heavy sigh and suddenly her mind is racing that this could have been one step to far. But then something else Wordy says makes her think that's maybe hope yet.

"Okay I have an idea," Wordy interjects. Part of her wants to wait and see what Wordy's suggestion is, the other part of her wants to leave and be surprised. But a few more members of team one arrive as if on cue to help make the decision for her, making her quickly dart into the women's locker room area and leaving Ed's part of the bet a total surprise.

_'Okay here are the terms,' _her mind thinks back to the bet as she pulls her locker open and starts to get ready for the day ahead. _'Whoever wins has to wear the other's jersey Monday after the game.'_

_'Yours won't fit me.'_

_'It's a man's size, it'll fit,' she had assured him._

_'That seems pretty tame.'_

_'I wasn't finished.'_

_'Don't I get a say in the terms?' Ed asked with a smile._

_'Car wash in a bikini? What do you think?' She countered and he just laughed. 'Right. But since you seem big on some kind of unique clothing option how about the winner has to make the other dinner dressed in full SRU gear.'_

_'Seriously?' Ed questioned in shock._

_'Seriously.'_

_'Seriously,' he had stated more than asked. _

_'Yeah what can I say, I like the uniform,' she winked and his face warmed. _

_'Full gear?'_

_'You gotta admit it's pretty sexy.'_

_'Okay fine but you might be a bit warm hovering over the stove dressed in full gear,' he playfully teased in return._

_'Just leave your vest and gun in your locker,' she retorted, making him chuckle once more. 'So do we have a bet?'_

_'We sure do.'_

But as her mind ponders the few bits of strained pieces of conversation from a few moments earlier, doubts once again start to creep into her mind. "This…could be a disaster," she huffs as she finishes dressing and then heads for the team one meeting room, hoping this week would be easier on her emotional state than the week before.

She enters the room, Ed of course all business as it should be, forcing her mind to automatically switch over to work mode, pushing her doubts to the back until the end of the day. They had made their dinner date for mid-week, barring a late hot call of course; and leaving the weekend open for something more serious, if indeed it did advance to that.

The hot call wasn't as emotionally draining as the past few and for that she was thankful, her mind wanting to just unwind a bit more and try to really forget the horrors that still haunted her with Delia's death. She lingers in the quiet locker room, looking at Jules locker and wondering when the lone female SRU team member would indeed return, sending her back to…to where.

_Okay stop it…_she commands herself before she can delve into an emotional abyss from which she fears will hinder her blossoming romance with her current Team Lead. Jules was coming back and that was certain, she would find a job elsewhere in the system; SRU her first choice but it wasn't her only choice. But when it comes to wanting to spend her future with someone – there is only one choice. _Don't screw this up._

On the drive home, Donna once again contemplates what she had heard earlier, wondering if maybe Ed's distance today was because of the teasing he had to endure; she had picked up a bit more at the end of the day when he put on the jersey to go back home. Ed would return the jersey on Wednesday when he came over – to make her dinner.

"Ahhh…" she groans as she enters her quiet apartment. She tosses her purse and jacket onto the table and then heads into the kitchen, looking at the somewhat empty fridge and contemplating for a second calling Ed and telling him the whole thing was off on a count of lack of food.

"No food…no meal right?" She sighs as she reaches for a Tupperwear container and then looks at it with a frown. "It's a good thing I didn't win," she smirks. _Yeah if the way to a man's heart is through his stomach you'd be sunk, _her brain inwardly jeers.

She sinks down into nearby kitchen chair and then looks at the phone and frowns. During the past few years, she hadn't really made any real close friends, certainly no girlfriends she could call and just talk to about this whole would-be date disaster she now finds herself heading toward. Jules had worked with Ed for a few years but she couldn't exactly call her and be like _I know you're out of commission but I am secretly dating Ed and I need some advice. _

"Oye," she snickers as she folds her arms on the table and rests her head in them. But just before she gives in to despair, a new name emerges into her mind. _Shelly. _Wordy's wife. She was married to his best friend and wouldn't have an ulterior motive or want to send her off on some stupid tangent as say another single, maybe jealous woman might? _Well it could happen, _her brain ponders with a heavy sigh. And they had connected the night her and Ed made their first connection at the Wordsworth home. It was worth a shot.

"Shelly?" Donna takes a deep breath before phone and then slowly exhaling as she hears a female voice on the other end. "Hi, its Donna...from the SRU."

_"Hi, how are you?"_

"Fine. Do you have a minute?"

_"Sure…everything okay?"_

"Yeah it's about Ed…I need an honest answer."

_"Okay… what's going on?" Shelly asks with some apprehension._

XXXXXXXX

Her talk with Shelly the night before helped to bolster her confidence about Ed still coming over and not reneging on his end of the bet; Shelly going so far to say that Wordy had come home and told her how excited Ed was. _'Yes excited…that's the word he used and Ed's never been that excited – well ever for a date before,' _she had assured her with a friendly tone.

However, the day didn't go quite as planned and after being called on missed shot on a very tense hot call that allowed a young man to plunge to his death, she heads into the locker room under a cloud of emotional gloom. Ed had called her on it and somewhat scolded her and she wondered in that moment as she heads for the supermarket, if she'll get home and find a message with him backing out. But assuming that he was still coming tomorrow night, she grabs a shopping cart and starts to slowly meander down the aisles, her romantic anxiety starting to gain momentum by the time she had gotten home and then ready for bed; thankful that there was no cancellation message. That meant there was still hope.

"Tomorrow…is gonna be…another first," she utters in truth as she turns off the light and tries to fall asleep.

XXXXXXXX

Walking into the barn wearing Donna's jersey wasn't as intimidating as walking into the grocery store that night with a semi-firm plan in place; thanks in most part to his best friend's advice. Part of him wanted to back out of the bet the moment she offered, but there was the chance that she would lose and end up having to make dinner for him and for that he was all in.

He wasn't sure if Donna had a barbeque or not so was taking Wordy's advice to make something simple on the stove and leave the easy way out for another time, that is if she survived his cooking this time.

_'She might just get food poisoning and then you wouldn't have to worry about another date,' Wordy had teased. 'Here go with this…yeah okay so it's Shelly's idea but trust me it'll work.'_

Ed manages to find everything he needs and then heads home, his mind trying to anticipate everything that could go wrong tomorrow night and then come up with a counter plan to…_counter plan? _His brain jeers. _You might be going in full gear but you won't be on duty…RELAX! _His mind yells as he enters his quiet apartment. He starts to slowly put away a few things into the fridge, Donna assuring him that he would come over and be greeted with a well-stocked fridge, but his mind now wondering how he would even be able to concentrate on not burning dinner much less keep his spare uniform clean. _Just don't go armed, _his brain wisely recommends to which he smirks at his own inner joke.

He grabs a beer and then heads for the TV flipping it on and slumping down into the couch, taking a swig and then staring absently at the screen before him. But as he listens to the small argument between the two character leads on the screen before him, he thinks back to the small scolding he gave her right after the tense and emotional team briefing.

_'Now I gotta ask…are you still a part of this team.'_

_'Yes. Does this job get any easier?'_

_'No.'_

And then she left him standing in the hallway without another word being spoken and his guilt wondering if he had crushed her feelings enough for her to cool off toward them in a romantic way. "Way to go Lane," he scolds himself with a heavy sigh as he quickly finds a news channel to try to drown out his mounting guilt. He had checked his messages when he got home to see if after their tense confrontation, she would have called and came up with an excuse to renege on their date – so far no call. "Date's still on," he ponders as he takes out the plate of leftovers from the microwave and eases himself into a kitchen chair. But as he allows his mind to dwell on her somewhat crushed expression, he can only curse himself and wonder if tomorrow night's dinner date would end with disaster instead of hope for a future date. "Way to go Lane," Ed chides himself once more before he downs his last swig, puts the dishes into the sink and then heads for his bedroom.

The next morning, he can only pray for a hot call to deflect his nerves, otherwise doing routine patrols might just send him over the emotional precipice he finds himself near the edge of.

"Relax…I don't think I've heard you take a breath in last five minutes," Wordy lightly ribs.

"It's good…it's all good," Ed tries to assure his best friend as they finished getting dressed and head into the team one meeting room. As it turned out the day was just routine, but him and Greg had something they had to tend to, Donna this time being paired with Spike and the others doing patrolling until the day finally comes to a close. Not wanting to be seen leaving in his full SRU gear, minus the service weapons, Ed quickly slips out the back door before anyone else notices; Wordy of course knowing exactly where his best friend was going and ready to run interference if necessary. A quick stop at home to get her Jersey and his dinner supplies and it's off to her apartment, his heart rate growing as each minute passes.

He finally arrives and knocks on the door, his nose picking up the distinct smell of baking chocolate and a small smile forming as she opens the door.

"You made it," Donna greets him with a warm smile but tinge of tension in her tone. "Right on time."

"Smells good in here."

"Well the bet was for dinner so I made…well I _attempted _dessert," she confesses with a small frown. "Wanted to see if my homemade brownies would be as good as Shelly's."

"Well they smell great. Here."

"Thanks…" she takes the jersey before leaning in and kissing him on the cheek. "I'm glad you're here," she tells him, hoping it doesn't sound to forward or too lame.

"Me too," he admits as he pulls back with a smile. "Course…you might think differently after you eat dinner."

"Trust me I'm sure I'll be just fine," she tries to assure him, not wanting to use the word perfect in case it didn't turn out; in truth she was also worried about her first dessert attempt – so tonight was gonna be a culinary adventure for both.

"Hey do you have a barbeque?"

"Ask what working order it's in," she replies with a small sigh. "Yeah it um…it's seen better days," she stops to watch him enter the kitchen and lay out the items he's brought.

"Ah well I came prepared…just in case," Ed mentions as he turns to see her watching him intently. "What?"

"Uh…nothing," she stammers, her face instantly inflaming and her lips not wanting to admit the sight of him in his gear was making her mind think naughty thoughts. "Just feel free to…okay the uniform's distracting but it's all good…it's all good," she finally breaks down and admits with a small giggle.

"Distracting?" He arches his brows. "It was your idea," he gently teases.

"I know. In a good way…a very good way…okay so I can set the table yes?" She finishes, her core boiling over as he turns back with a small smile, realizing she was just as nervous as him. But instead of her just standing and watching, as soon as the table is set and she offers to help, his nervous jitters start to subside a bit more and he can actually concentrate on making them an edible dinner.

"Okay that smells good, what is it?"

"Um…stuffed pork chops," Ed hands her the small tattered recipe card, remembering her saying she wasn't a girl to just peck away at what amounted to bird seed; something he more than appreciated. "One of the best things my mom used to make that I actually ate most of."

"And this?" She points to a covered boiling pot.

"Rice…goes good with pork I was told. Right?" Ed queries leaving out that this menu plan was Shelly's doing.

"Sure…sounds great," she offers a friendly shrug, not having much of an inkling into the culinary world of correct food pairings. Truth was it all sounded amazing but in reality she didn't care what he wanted to make; even if it was pizza from a box, the fact that he showed up and actually wanted to put forth the effort; the fact that he actually wanted to make good on his end of the bet, cemented in her mind that barring any food sicknesses, tonight was so far promising to end on a very good note.

Donna leans in a bit closer to watch, his fingers slightly shaking from nerves but then once again easing as she asks him about his favorite childhood dishes in addition to this one and soon the tension is subsiding and the friendly banter growing.

"But yeah that was just it…you ate everything on your plate or you didn't leave the dinner table."

"Your dad ever put a time limit on it?"

"Once for Roy and because I made a comment he made me sit there also."

"Roy eat his food?"

"Nope and so as punishment we both had to have his dinner for breakfast the next day," Ed pauses as he just shakes his head and smirks. "Never complained again. We might not have liked everything, but we never said a word."

"Your poor mother," Donna chides as she lightly pokes him in the side, eliciting a small chuckle. "Glad you left the vest at the barn."

"Woulda been sweatin' buckets by now," Ed admits in honesty. "Alright I think we're ready. You wanna go and sit and I ca…"

"Ed, I don't expect you to serve me, it wasn't part of…"

"I don't mind," he interrupts with a warm smile. "I mean part of the uniform is about service right?"

"Oh you are just on your game tonight Constable Lane," she teases as she nods and then heads into the living room, pouring them each a glass of wine. She sits down and then watches him round the corner with the two plates of food and instantly feels her heart do a summersault. Damn…he already is good enough to devour on the spot wearing regular clothes but dressed in his nearly full uniform bringing her dinner in the privacy of her living room was the ultimate image of sexy. _Can I jump him right now? Down girl…no man wants an easy woman. _Right and no one night stands…she wants more from him and for them. Tonight would be a real test.

"Service with a smile," she comments, noting the look on his handsome face and the twinkle in his warm blue eyes. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. Well…I hope you like it," he remarks with an expectant expression as he sits down opposite her, waiting for her to take her first bite and wondering what she'd honestly think and even more importantly what she'd tell him. He tries not to nervously stare as he awaits her final judgment, wondering if heeding Wordy's advice was the right thing to do or not.

_'Go with something you know you can make; it'll take the pressure off. That one recipe of your mom's right? Plus you know there's a cute story behind it and it'll break the tension. Course it was Shelly's idea. I'm not Dr. Phil you know,' he teased._

She looks up at him with a sweet smile and can't help but praise; it wasn't perfect, in fact anyone with any kind of discerning palate could instantly have picked out all the flaws with just the few small bites. But she didn't care; to her it was the best meal of her adult life, simply because he made it for her.

"It tastes really great," she replies, picking up an almost inaudible sigh. She didn't want to gush or overly praise, not wanting to come off as fake or offering blind praise using the word perfect just to flower his ego; especially when he would know it wasn't perfect, she was honest. It did taste great – for her and that's all that mattered to both of them.

"Good," Ed finally relaxes into his chair, his fingers picking up the fork and starting with some lingering nervous anxiety into his own home cooked meal. _Actually this doesn't taste too bad, _his brain states in surprise. _You might actually get another date after tonight._

"This is another first for me," Donna admits half way through dinner.

"What?"

"Actually enjoying a mid-week dinner after work…it's just relaxed and…it's nice."

"I'm enjoying it also. Beats a Hungry-Man," Ed deadpans, making her lightly giggle. "We'll hafta see about getting that barbeque fixed though. Hard to do steak or ribs in a frying pan."

"I think that thing has seen its last flame a few months back. But um…if you don't mind braving a mall or a Home Depot on the weekend, I would love some company picking out a new one."

"Do I hafta wear the uniform?" He retorts.

"No. But it might help me get a better deal."

"Only if I bring the MP5."

"Yeah that would work for sure," she lightly laughs as they finish their meal. "Seriously thank you…this was amazing," she praises as she stands up and leans in a bit closer. "Best meal of my life," she plants a warm kiss on his cheek and then heads into the kitchen to get dessert, Ed bringing the rest of the plates. While she was arranging their chocolate finishing's, he unzips the black over-shirt, leaving the black t-shirt on, his body needing a bit of relief from the heated outburst her nearness and the warmth in the apartment were causing.

"Okay so this is a first for me. And as much as I'd like to say this was my mother's recipe…I'll shamelessly admit right now…I Googled it," she confesses as she offers him a plate of the brownie with ice-cream.

Ed quickly takes a hearty mouthful of the still warm gooey chocolate with the somewhat melted vanilla ice cream on it and looks up with a big smile. "Perfect," he utters making her smile widen. Of course she knows it's not perfect, it even tastes a bit underdone, but it was something she could brag about to herself for the rest of the night. _Perfect – that was his first reaction._

"What's your favorite dessert?" Donna dares to inquire; despite the fact that she had already asked Shelly that a few days earlier.

_'Ed loves anything chocolate but is not fussy and likes the simple stuff. Trust me you make a really chocolaty brownie with vanilla ice cream and you'll have won his heart. He's actually very easy to please.' _

"This is," Ed replies with a smile, making her cock her head at him in wonder. "What? It is okay…it really is." It wasn't that she didn't believe Shelly when she told her but hearing his words and seeing the sincerity in his eyes cemented it for herself in her own mind and heart. She had made the right choice.

"Well I am actually kinda surprised it turned out as well as it did," Donna mentions as she notices a small speck of warm chocolate affixed to his cheek. She leans in closer; his mind mistaking her actions for wanting a real kiss and moves at the same time, their lips meeting – instant sparks flying. Ed's hand gently caresses her cheek, holding her face in place as their kiss deepens.

"Mmm you taste like chocolate," she whispers with a contented sigh.

"I want more…" Ed blurts out, making her pull back with a surprised expression.

"You do. Ed I…I'm just not…"

"I'm sorry I meant the brownie…you said chocolate and I…"

"Right…dessert," she confirms, her mind instantly scolding her for putting him on the spot. _Way to go Donna! _"Sorry."

"Don't be. I do want more, that's the truth but…right now I want more of the dessert…if that's okay."

"Course it's okay," she quickly leaves the table and retreats into the kitchen, berating herself for assuming he automatically wanted sex. Realizing she hadn't even taken his plate she reaches up for another, only to stifle a small gasp as she turns and bumps into him. "Didn't see you."

"I didn't mean to make it awkward."

"No I assumed…I don't want to rush things and I just…"

"If you don't want to rush things I'm okay with that."

"You are."

"Course. But I do want more of that dessert," he concludes with a smile. "That is if it's okay?"

"Course," she smirks, her mood lifting a little. "Still gonna blame the uniform. Told you it was distracting."

Since it was mid-week, a late night was out of the question, so suggesting to watch a movie was almost moot. Instead she puts on a pot of coffee and they head back to the table, Ed mostly eating the second helping of her dessert with Donna taking a few extra nibbles now and again.

"Yeah my sister and I aren't close," Donna admits as they slowly enjoy their after dinner coffee's, neither really wanting the night to end. "I think she moved overseas to get away from the family," Donna replies with a heavy frown before looking at Ed with a small smile. "Shelly seems really nice though."

"Yeah she's great. Her and Wordy make a great team and she lets me mooch when I need to," Ed slightly smirks as his hand reaches out and just lingers on hers, his fingers absently playing with hers. "What was your old partner like?"

"Bill…talk about a mooch," Donna retorts with a small laugh. "He uh…I think he's doing okay. We kinda lost touch after the last tough case ended but um…I think he's happy I joined the SRU, but we don't talk anymore. I know I am I joined."

"I am too."

"Just hope it lasts you know."

"Donna…"

"Ed, I know Jules is coming back…I get that okay? I mean another team, there are a few others you know. And why only six…it's a big city. Why not seven? Seven always seems to be the lucky number."

The two of them delve a bit more into work, neither, however, daring to broach the topic of her missed shot on the call the day before as the tension was down and the mood was high and both wanted to end the evening on a high note rather than a resentment-filled discussion or worse a mood-killing argument.

"I really had a lot of fun tonight…you know once I got past the idea of not killing you with dinner," Ed mentions in truth as they finally had made it to the kitchen to clean up and then work on calling it a night; an early day calling to them tomorrow.

"I did to. And hey dessert worked so it was a win on both sides. Thanks again for dinner…Ed, really it was great."

"You're welcome," he whispers as he leans in for a goodnight kiss; Donna's body immediately following suit and leaning into his, her right hand on his neck and keeping his lips connected to hers for a few seconds longer; enough to send both heart rates skyrocketing.

Feeling his body wanting to betray his growing desire, Ed regrettably pulls back and offers her a warm smile. She had said she wanted to take it slow and if that meant it would keep them growing together he was all for it as it was something he wanted also – her in his life, so he would back off. But male urges being male urges, he offers her one more kiss and then reaches for his jacket, it was time to go now.

"Goodnight," she offers warmly as she slowly pulls the door open, wanting more…wanting all of him but knowing that that would come, slow was best. "Thanks for wearing the uniform," she offers once more with a big smile.

"Might think differently about it now," Ed confesses as they head for the elevator, slowly walking together down the carpeted hallway, talking in hushed tones.

"Or the jersey?"

"That I will for sure," Ed smirks as they wait for the elevator.

_Ask him already! _Her mind goads. He had first asked her out to the game and then paid up his end of the bet, now it was her turn to show her growing interest as well and take some pressure off him in the initiation department.

"So Saturday…"

"Yeah?" Ed looks at her with a growing smile, making her nervous anxiety start to swell once more.

It wasn't cold enough for the outdoor rink to be in service and she wasn't sure she wanted to subject him to another uniform even if it was something dressy for dinner and dancing; but what?

"You feel like coming and offering some intimidation tactics to some poor sales clerk that's gonna sell me a new barbeque? And then when its set up maybe take it for a test drive?"

"No uniform?" Ed smirks.

"Optional," she replies softly as the elevator doors open. "And I'll make dinner this time."

"It's a date," he whispers as he offers her one last kiss before getting inside the steel box, a happy smile playing upon both their faces as the doors slowly close and the evening concludes. As Ed walks to his car and Donna back to her apartment there was one thing apparent to both – they were falling in love and it was the best feeling in the world.

**THE END!**

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**A/N:** Well I hope you liked this one. I might skip a few months and skip right to the skating date but we'll see what Alice comes up with so stay tuned and please do put your thoughts in a review before you go and thanks so much!

**PS: Choices will update next**


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